A/N: I meant to do a Bought the T-Shirt chapter this week, but never had time to finish it. This one was done, so here you go, a new chapter for Reconstruction. And a Tony chapter at that! If this story seems to jump around, that's because there's a lot of action happening all at the same time.


Just like Old Times

"You're sending us to protect Hammer Industries?" Tony Stark said incredulously.

"The company is a major weapons supplier for the U.S. military," Secretary of State Thaddeus Ross recited in a bored voice. "Since, you know, Stark Industries got out of the 'weapons game'," he added with malice.

"Hammer tried to kill me," Tony pointed out. "And, you know, a few thousand innocent people at the Stark Expo."

"You know that Vanko was the prime aggressor there, and Hammer himself is serving his time in prison," Ross said in more businesslike tones. "The company is a separate entity and not responsible for its founder's crimes."

"Yeah, yeah." Tony waved for Ross to get on with it.

Ross gestured at a map on the screen. "We have creditable intel that there has been a terrorist strike on this Hammer research facility."

"Credible," Vision murmured. It was his first contribution to the briefing. Ross lost his train of thought and just stared blankly at the android.

"'Creditable' means deserving of praise. 'Credible' means believable, convincing," Vision expounded, a blandly helpful expression on his face.

Ross sputtered. Tony and Rhodey hid smiles.

"Sorry, sir," the Air Force man said with every evidence of sincerity. "He's very literal sometimes." But he and Tony knew Vision was trolling Ross. The android might still believe that oversight was important for the Avengers, but he didn't like Ross holding the reins. None of them trusted the former general.

"I apologize if I have spoken out of turn," Vision said, in the most robotic tone he could manage.

The interruption had put Ross off his game. "Yes, well, the Oversight Committee wants the Avengers to protect this factory."

The Avengers knew, the " Oversight Committee" pretty much rubber stamped whatever Ross wanted.

"There are only two Avengers," Tony pointed out. "Rhodey still isn't fit for active combat."

"Surely two armored, flying Avengers can handle a few terrorists," Ross shot back. "Unless you can get your wall-crawling companion."

"He's out of action for awhile," Tony said hastily. He was not dragging Peter into danger again.

Judging by the intelligence Ross gave them, Iron Man and Vision should be able to handle it. Not like they had a choice, anyway. The Oversight Committee had spoken.

"I'll handle the comms," Rhodey said. Ross preened at the capitulation.


Ross' information said there were six men armed with high-powered weapons holding two dozen scientists and technicians hostage. They were demanding a multimillion-dollar ransom from Hammer Industries. Hammer's CEO had immediately turned the information over to Ross.

"They knew he'd give it to the Avengers. "Hammer's people love to have me by the short hairs," Tony grumbled as the quinjet approached the laboratory/factory. Technically, Iron Man and Vision could have flown to the site, but Rhodey had insisted they save energy and take along the additional resources of the quinjet. Tony suspected Rhodey intended to fly the jet, but Stark had put his foot down and left Rhodey back home on comms.

The cloaked quinjet slipped in quietly, just above the trees, then magically appeared in the parking lot. Microphones picked up a satisfying commotion from inside the building. Tony could hear shouted commands, but things like "scramble" and "gear up" weren't very helpful.

Tony stepped out of the jet and side-slipped to hover facing the front door. Vision walked calmly down the ramp and straight toward the building. His plan was to walk through the wall and solidify inside where he could protect the hostages while Iron Man took care of the gunmen.

"Friday, scan the factory," Tony ordered.

"On it, boss," the AI replied in a feminine Irish voice.

"The majority of people are crammed into one small room, with just two who appear to be guards," the AI reported. "The rest are rushing around in the main factory area. There's too much interference to tell exactly what they're up to," she apologized.

"'Gearing up,' whatever that means," Tony said sourly. "See if you can get more on their weapons."

"Scanning."

The research lab was full of odd and unusual materials, partially masked by literally a ton of metal manufacturing equipment. Friday grumbled to herself as she tried to separate the wheat from the chaff, while keeping Rhodey and Tony apprised of her findings.

Most of the metal could be attributed to factory machines, but some sections were moving independently, which was odd.

A double-wide garage door slid open and two men wearing exoskeletons marched out, ducking under the door and then rising to a full height of about 12 feet. That explained the movement.

"Somebody's been watching too much anime."

Carrying long spears, the exo-guards marched toward Vision. The virtually impervious android set himself to meet the lumbering mechanisms.


Friday frowned (figuratively) when she detected peculiar trace elements. She focused on their primitive weapons.

"Boss!" Friday's voice was alarmed. Her findings flashed in red before Tony's eyes. "Vibranium! They have vibranium!"

Tony's heart leaped to his throat. "Vision! Dodgeball!" he shouted.

Obedient to his training, Vision instantly dove left and rolled away. The spear he'd been facing so fearlessly missed his chest, but clipped his left side.

The android shouted in pain as the vibranium-tipped spear tore Vision's vibranium-laced skin. Vibranium attracted vibranium. Even when the android was incorporeal, atoms tore loose.

Though he wasn't used to pain, Vision continued his evasive maneuver, rolling on his back and kicking out with a right leg now as dense as platinum.

He struck the knee of the exoskeleton, damaging the joint but not breaking it. The exo-soldier now limped, but so did Vision. The android hobbled away, bent like an old man, clutching a streaming gash in his side.


In that moment, Tony blessed the names of Rogers and Romanoff. Despite Vision's formidable abilities, they had insisted he train in evasion and other traditional combat techniques. They had drilled and drilled, until his automatic responses were burned into his neutral pathways.

"I owe the captain a drink," Vision said, breathless with pain, as he sought cover.

"Maybe two," Tony agreed.

"I thought you and T'Challa had collected all the vibranium," Rhodey protested from back in New York.

"We tried," Tony growled. "But the destruction of the flying city sent debris everywhere. Someone must have picked up some."

"There's not much," Friday reported, but the spears are coated with it.

"OK, no more playing around." Iron Man launched, preparing to blast the exoskeletons from beyond the reach of their weapons.

"It can't be that easy!" Rhodey warned.

Tony had the same thought, so he dodged when six small vehicles, like armored Smart cars, burst out of the factory. Agile and maneuverable, the vehicles darted hither and thither, firing into the air and driving Tony to the ground.

"More vibranium," Friday reported.

Every sixth bullet was coated with vibranium. The enemy had made the most of their small supply of the rare metal.

The invincible Iron Man was aggravated to find himself hiding behind a parked car like an extra in a cop show. The enemy's weapons were standard, only the ammunition was custom. The vibranium would allow the custom rounds to penetrate the android or the Iron Man armor, but the weapons didn't give them enough oomph to penetrate a vehicle AND the armor. As proof, one bullet punched through the car, but bounced off the armor, leaving a tiny dent.

Vision had scrambled behind another car, two spots down the street from Tony's protection.

"This is not good," Tony commented to Rhodey.

Rhodey was busy trying to get backup for the beleaguered Avengers. But Ross had gone into a meeting and his aide refused to interrupt him. No one else dared to authorize military action.

"He's probably taking a nap," Tony said cynically. "Maybe with company."


Rhodey slammed his fist down in anger. "Tony needs backup and Ross' flunkies are waiting for 'approval'," he sneered. He seriously wondered if this had been a trap to eliminate Tony, who was a constant thorn in Ross' side. "I wish the rest of the team was here."

Friday hesitated to violate Tony's privacy, but he hadn't actually sworn her to secrecy.

"If you look in the back of the bottom drawer of Tony's desk, you may find a method of calling for help," she offered.

Rhodey wheeled quickly to the desk and found an old flip phone. "This?"

"Yes, colonel."

There was one number under the contacts. Rhodey pressed the button.

"Hello?" a familiar voice said cautiously.

Rhodey gulped down his relief. "Cap! Tony and Vision need help." He explained the mission.

"I can't help," Steve said with palpable regret in his voice. "I'm halfway around the world. I'll never get there in time. But maybe ... maybe I can find someone closer. I'll try, Rhodey, I swear it."

"I believe you," Rhodey said simply and ended the call.

If assistance wasn't close, Rhodey would have to do something to help his old friend himself. He pulled a gaming console out of his own desk drawer. "Now's the time to see if my training pays off."


"Vision, if all the bad guys are out here, maybe you can phase through the building and free the hostages," Tony said.

"I am afraid …" Vision gulped. "I cannot shift density right now. I am not used to pain. It is very distracting." There was a deep gouge in his side leaking silvery "blood."

"All right. Deep breaths. Try to concentrate," Tony urged.

"I am endeavoring to do so," Vision replied. The pain made him dizzy. He held out his hand and the density shifted erratically. The android concentrated. He feared it would take awhile to adjust — time that he feared they didn't have.


The souped up Jeep was roaring across the fields, bouncing wildly. Clint Barton steadied it with experienced skill, while Wanda Maximoff clung grimly to the safety bar.

Clint's phone rang. "Answer," he ordered through Bluetooth. Cap's voice came over the Jeep's speakers.

"Clint, Tony's in trouble!"

"Already on the way," Clint answered, swerving around a tree stump and crashing through a wire fence.

"How…?"

"I may be 'retired,' but I still have contacts," the former SHIELD agent said cheerfully. In fact, he had an informant on Ross' staff, who had given him a head's up even before Ross contacted Tony. Clint didn't even have to pay the guy, because Ross was just that beloved among his men.

"Ten minutes," Clint told Steve.

Steve hastily passed on the information about the vibranium weapons. "Vision and the Iron Man armor can't stop those rounds."

Clint grinned. "Maybe not, but I know someone who can." He tipped a look at Wanda, who dipped her head in acknowledgment. "Barton out."

The Jeep slid to a halt, concealed by a copse of trees. When Clint and Wanda emerged, they could hear the sound of weapons fire.

"We can't be seen," Clint warned Wanda.

"Stark and Vision would not betray us when we come to help," Wanda protested.

"I agree, but if Ross finds out they've been in touch with us, they could end up on the Raft."

Wanda shuddered. She still had nightmares.

Clint shouldered his quiver and grabbed his bow. "Come on," he said and began to jog toward the uproar.

Wanda rolled her eyes, scooped Clint up with her magic and zoomed toward the factory.


Tony leaned around the car and fired a repulsor blast at the nearest armored car, flipping it on its side. He used the diversion to dive for Vision's position. One quick boost from his boot jets propelled him down the street, as bullets riddled the cars he passed.

A new gun began to fire. "Wahoo!"

A small shape darted from the quinjet, bullets spitting at the armored cars and exoskeletons.

"Is that Redwing?" Tony asked.

"Yes. Flown by Colonel Rhodes," Vision answered. Tony had obtained Sam Wilson's Redwing drone from the task force, claiming it was Stark proprietary technology (which it was). Unbeknownst to Tony, Rhodey and Vision had altered the drone, and Rhodey had been practicing with the controls, while Tony thought he was playing a videogame (to improve his hand/eye coordination, of course). It was a very nice surprise.

The drone zipped through the enemy, barrel-rolling in sheer exuberance, then it flipped on its back and zoomed back. Bullets bounced off the armored cars, but struck one of the exoskeletons. The operator slumped and the exoskeleton froze in place, tilted on its damaged knee, then fell to the ground like a toppled tree.


At the same time, a hole blasted in the rear wall of the factory. The crowd of hostage scientists tumbled out, scrambling for safety. Some scrambled the wrong way and seemed to bounce off a pale pink wall, before they oriented themselves and followed the herd across the fields toward safety.

Tony gawped in surprise, then clapped his mouth shut and took advantage of the multiple distractions.

Inches above the grass he flew, blasting at the wheels of the armored cars. One flipped into the air. Tony caught it and used it as a battering ram to smash a second car.


Rhodey wove the drone back and forth through the enemy. He was an experienced fighter pilot, but Redwing was made for surveillance, not aerial combat. The bullets were ineffective against the cars, which focused their fire on the drone. Rhodey couldn't avoid the field of fire. Trailing smoke, Redwing plummeted, digging a furrow in the ground.

"Sam will be pissed," Rhodey said to himself, as he let go of the control stick.


Keeping the first car as a shield, Tony zoomed toward an armored car that was lining up on the fallen android. It fired, but the bullets deflected off an unseen barrier. Then Tony and his battering ram hit it. The impact drove them far from Vision. One of the gun turrets caught the ground and Tony found himself tumbling head over heels, gouging a trench in the grass, much as Redwing had.

Jarred by the crash, Tony looked up to see a vibranium spear aimed at his head. But the exoskeleton's knee suddenly buckled. It fell beside Iron Man, who pointed a gauntlet and blasted the operator into unconsciousness.

Tony staggered to his feet, facing the two remaining armored cars. There was a puff of smoke from one and a shower of sparks from the other. Vision emerged, walking through the sparking car. He looked exhausted, but grabbed the gun of one car and bent it skyward, then he twisted the gun off the other.

"I think that's everything," he said.

Tony counted and Friday confirmed that all the enemy weapons were destroyed and the men were unconscious or dead. Anyone still alive was trapped until troops could come with heavy tools to pry them loose.

"Nice job, taking out two cars at once," Tony told Vision, though he knew something else had happened. Something called Wanda Maximoff.

"You never know what you can do until you try," Vision answered, quoting something Wanda had said.

Tony spotted something by the nearest exoskeleton's knee. It was the shaft of an arrow. The head was missing, blown off in a tiny explosion, just enough to destroy a mechanical knee.

Vision followed Tony's gaze. The android stepped forward, stumbled heavily (he was injured!) and stomped on the arrow with a leaden foot. Carbon fiber dust was all that was left when he raised his foot.

"Were you looking at something?" Vision asked blandly.

"Nah. Trick of the light," Tony answered. "Come on, let's get you patched up. Hey, Rhodey, think Ross will take my calls now that all the danger is over?"

"As soon as he's done with his 'nap,'" Rhodey groused.

Tony's heart felt light. The Accord Avengers had survived a trap designed with them in mind and he had received help from two rogue Avengers who had been very angry with him once upon a time. Forgiveness felt like fine champagne. He almost wanted to giggle.

He'd laugh in Ross' face instead.


Satisfied everything was under control, Clint returned an arrow to his quiver. Though he was at a distance, hidden among the trees, he'd seen the destruction of his arrow and was satisfied Tony would keep his secret.

"Shall we head back?" Wanda asked.

Clint nodded. "Give an old man a lift?" he suggested.

She laughed and flew them back to their vehicle. It was nice to see our friends again," she said wistfully.

"Yeah," Clint agreed. "Just like old times."